🛶Latin American Literature – Before 1900 Unit 2 – Pre-Columbian Oral Traditions & Codices

What's This Unit All About?

• Explores the rich storytelling traditions of pre-Columbian Latin American cultures before the arrival of Europeans in the late 15th century
• Focuses on the oral traditions and codices used to pass down knowledge, history, and cultural values across generations
• Examines the key cultures involved, including the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations
• Analyzes the themes, symbols, and societal impact of these stories
• Investigates how these traditions evolved and survived despite the Spanish conquest
• Highlights the enduring relevance and influence of pre-Columbian storytelling in contemporary Latin American literature and culture

Key Cultures and Their Storytelling

• Maya civilization flourished in Mesoamerica (present-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Honduras and El Salvador) from around 2000 BCE to the 16th century CE
  • Developed a complex writing system using hieroglyphs and created numerous codices
  • Famous for their advanced knowledge of astronomy, mathematics, and calendar systems
• Aztec Empire dominated central Mexico from the 14th to the 16th century CE
  • Maintained a rich oral tradition featuring myths, legends, and historical accounts
  • Created pictorial codices to record religious beliefs, genealogies, and tribute records
• Inca Empire ruled the Andean region (present-day Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and parts of Chile and Argentina) from the 13th to the 16th century CE
  • Relied on oral storytelling, as they did not develop a written language
  • Used quipus, a system of knotted cords, to record numerical and possibly narrative information

Oral Traditions: More Than Just Talk

• Oral traditions served as the primary means of preserving and transmitting knowledge, history, and cultural values in pre-Columbian Latin American societies
• Storytellers, often elders or specialized performers, memorized and recited narratives, myths, and historical accounts
• Oral traditions were dynamic and adaptable, allowing for the incorporation of new elements and the reinterpretation of stories over time
• Performances of oral narratives often included music, dance, and dramatic elements to engage audiences and aid in memorization
• Oral traditions helped maintain social cohesion, reinforce cultural identities, and provide moral and practical guidance to communities

Codices: Ancient Books with a Twist

• Codices were folded books made from bark paper or animal skins, used by Mesoamerican cultures like the Maya and Aztecs
• Contained pictorial and hieroglyphic representations of religious beliefs, historical events, genealogies, and astronomical knowledge
• Created by skilled scribes and artists using natural dyes and pigments
• Most codices were destroyed during the Spanish conquest, with only a few surviving examples (Dresden Codex, Madrid Codex, Paris Codex)
• Deciphering codices has been a challenge for scholars, as the meaning of many symbols and glyphs remains uncertain

Themes and Symbols: What's the Big Deal?

• Pre-Columbian stories often revolved around the creation of the world, the exploits of gods and heroes, and the cyclical nature of time
• Common themes included the importance of sacrifice, the relationship between humans and the natural world, and the role of rulers in maintaining cosmic order
• Symbols such as the feathered serpent (Quetzalcoatl in Aztec mythology, Kukulkan in Maya mythology) represented the duality of life and death, earth and sky
• The Aztec calendar stone, or Sun Stone, depicted the five eras of creation and destruction, highlighting the central role of time and cycles in Mesoamerican worldviews
• Inca stories emphasized the divine origin of the ruling class and the importance of reciprocity and balance in social and economic relationships

How These Stories Shaped Society

• Pre-Columbian stories provided a shared framework for understanding the world and the place of humans within it
• Myths and legends reinforced social hierarchies and the legitimacy of ruling elites, who were often portrayed as descendants of gods or legendary heroes
• Oral traditions and codices served as repositories of knowledge, guiding agricultural practices, astronomical observations, and religious rituals
• Stories transmitted moral and ethical values, promoting virtues such as bravery, sacrifice, and devotion to the community
• The cyclical nature of time in many pre-Columbian narratives influenced the way societies viewed history and their own role in the larger cosmic order

Spanish Conquest: What Changed?

• The arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the late 15th and early 16th centuries led to the collapse of pre-Columbian empires and the suppression of indigenous cultures
• Many oral traditions and codices were lost or destroyed as part of the Spanish campaign to eradicate "idolatry" and impose Christianity
• Indigenous storytellers and scribes adapted their narratives to the new colonial reality, incorporating elements of Christianity and European culture
• Some pre-Columbian stories and symbols survived by being reinterpreted or disguised within the context of Christian iconography and festivals
• The Spanish conquest disrupted the transmission of traditional knowledge and led to the fragmentation and hybridization of pre-Columbian storytelling traditions

Why It Still Matters Today

• Pre-Columbian oral traditions and codices provide invaluable insights into the worldviews, values, and artistic expressions of ancient Latin American cultures
• Contemporary Latin American writers and artists draw inspiration from pre-Columbian stories and symbols, incorporating them into their own works as a means of asserting cultural identity and resistance
• The study of pre-Columbian storytelling helps to challenge Eurocentric narratives of Latin American history and culture
• Efforts to preserve and revitalize indigenous languages and storytelling traditions contribute to the maintenance of cultural diversity and the empowerment of marginalized communities
• Understanding pre-Columbian storytelling traditions enriches our appreciation of the complex and diverse literary heritage of Latin America